Group B wasn’t like anything else. Often described as the golden era of rallying, Group B comprised the most extreme WRC rally cars of all time. One such Group B rally car is the RS200, a purpose-built machine that proved to be somewhat uncompetitive. Fielded in the 1986 season only, the RS200 racked up a single podium finish (third place in Sweden). The mid-engine Ford was further involved in one of the deadliest crashes in the World Rally Championship, a crash that claimed the lives of three spectators.
Even so, the RS200 is a highly coveted icon. 200 were required for homologation, of which a handful were disassembled to provide spare parts after the demise of Group B. The Dearborn-based automaker found it very difficult to find 200 buyers. Believe it or not, the last car hadn’t found a buyer until 1990.
Of the 200-odd examples of the breed ever assembled at the Reliant factory where the three-wheeled Robin was made, only 24 cars were converted to Evolution specification. Chances include additional cooling ducts and a punchier engine. Ford never advertised the official peak horsepower figure, but it’s common knowledge that the Cosworth 2.1-liter turbocharged four-pot engine belts out something like 600 boosted ponies at full chatter.
The RS200 Evolution clearly isn’t for the faint of heart, especially considering the cramped interior and stiff clutch. The ridiculously short wheelbase (make that 99.6 inches or 2,530 millimeters) also makes it a bit of a handful in the corners. Also worthy of note, it doesn’t have anti-lock brakes. To whom it may concern, ABS has been mandatory on all production cars for the EU market since 2004.
Chassis number SFACXXBJ2CGL00070 is one of them incredibly rare RS200 Evolution models, and it also happens to sport a clean Montana title. Listed on Bring a Trailer with 600 kilometers (370 miles) on the five-digit odometer, this blast from the past was ordered new by former F1 driver Innes Ireland on behalf of a well-to-do gentleman from Texas.
Photo: 246dinoguy on Bring a Trailer
The car eventually spent four years in a Seattle collection, after which chassis 070 returned to the United Kingdom in 2014. Sold again in 2016, this corner-carving beast was purchased by Tons of Gas Motorsports of Charlotte, North Carolina in the first half of 2023. Some 100 miles of the aforementioned 370 have been added by Tons of Gas Motorsports.
Pretty loud inside even at idle, the car is louder still on the move due to the straight-cut gears of the five-speed transaxle. Be that as it may, there’s no denying that driving an RS200 Evolution on public roads is a thing of pleasure rather than a headache.
Pictured with Speedline alloys mounted with 225/50 by 16-inch rubber from Hoosier, the RS200 Evolution further sweetens the deal with red upholstery for the heavily bolstered racing seats, five-point harnesses from Sabelt, a Pioneer cassette player and radio, and – get this – two shift levers.
The lever with the red shift knob is for torque split, which comes in three flavors: 37 percent up front and 63 out back, 50:50, or purely rear-wheel drive. Three viscous-coupling LSDs also need to be mentioned, along with unassisted brakes, adjustable suspension, and a helluva lot of switchgear from far less expensive Ford models from the early 1980s.
With four days and 18 hours of bidding left to go, this fellow amassed no fewer than seven offers on Bring a Trailer. The highest bid thus far is $180,000, which is peanuts compared to other RS200s auctioned through Bring a Trailer. Of the four previously sold on said online auction platform, chassis number SDACXXBJ2CCL00105 changed hands in March 2021 for an eye-watering $502,500 (excluding the listing fee and buyer’s fee).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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